Beyond the Veil
by NessaNessaNessa
Summary: Bella has seen Death her whole life. He doesn't carry a scythe, but he does occasionally wear all black. One fatal accident brings them closer than ever before, introducing them into a world that neither of them really know.
1. Prologue

The white hallways of the hospital were mostly empty, the ghosts not even bothering to grace their presence. The phone lines buzzed quietly demanded the attention of nurses who were all on a much-needed break after working their double overtime.

In a large pickle colored armchair sat a young girl, one month after her 5th birthday. She sat on the edge of the chair, swinging the legs back and forth in anxiety. Her tiny hands were busy fingering the double braided pigtails that were embossed in braids. She chewed her lip as she stared at the corn colored floor.

Gran had been sick for a long time. Isabella remembered the colorful scarves she would wear on her head, sometimes they would match the circles under her eyes.

Mommy and Daddy were inside with Uncle Floyd, holding her hand. There was a lot of noise and a lot of machines that didn't really sit with Isabella well. Her mother had escorted her out in a hurry. With tears in her eyes, she had ordered her young daughter to sit in the pickle colored chair and not think of moving.

Isabella tried to ignore the horrible pressure to pee.

Pulling her hands off of her braids she rubbed her hands together, trying to create heat. It felt as if the temperature was dropping the more time she spent out here. Maybe she could ask mommy for her sweater. She glanced through the window, crossing her legs and wrapping her arms over her chest instead.

She looked up from her hands and saw a man in front of her. His copper hair flopped onto his forehead, the back of his head was hidden by a white robe that dragged on the floor. But the thing that caught Bella's attention was his eyes.

They were the most pure emerald green.

They looked at her with surprise, meeting her curious brown ones.

The energy crackled between them, somehow tense. Bella didn't understand how she knew, but she knew that he was here for Gran.

"Is she gonna hurt anymore?"

Slowly, he shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers.

She relaxed into the chair, her hand coming up to a braid again. Her eyes trailed down to the floor.

"Good. She shouldn't hurt."

When she looked up again, he was gone, following her mother's wail. Tears pricked at Bella's eyes, knowing the source of her grief. Looking down at the floor, she watched a darker yellow seep across the floor.

**A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	2. Sleepless

I saw him everywhere. Or, that's what it felt like, at least. He was never the same each time though. Even so,

I knew it was him.

His beautiful green eyes never changed. They were always piercing and watching me with the same quiet awe that I didn't quite understand. Chills would run down my spine and I would feel my feet root themselves to the floor. He would quickly break eye contact and follow different people down the street before he would disappear when I would blink.

I wanted to speak up.

I wanted to ask him so, so many questions. To stop what he was doing.

A set of fingers snapped in front of my face, pulling me from my memories. Angela's eyebrows were scrunched together, her freckles puckering out.

"You okay? Where did you go just now?"

Panic wrapped tightly in the center of my chest as I struggled to come up with an explanation for spacing. I offered her a slow smile instead. "Just daydreaming of my bed."

Angela rolled her eyes, clapping an arm across my shoulder. "Oh, I feel the same. You would think Mr. Banner would let up with all of that homework with our big game coming up."

The knot in my chest unraveled, letting out a gust of air, letting it come out as a laugh. I let Angela lead me away, feeling a set of eyes dig into my back as I walked away. My mornings had been stranger and stranger lately. I felt like I was sleeping more and not getting any rest. Charlie didn't really know what to do anymore. He was in favor of seeing a doctor. Internally I recoiled at the thought, the largest sharpest needle coming to mind.

"You need to wake up," Angela pulled her hair ina ponytail, the ends swishing against the tops of her shoulders. "You have the game tonight."

I nodded as a couple of people waved and gave me friendly smiles. "You forget," I muttered through gritted teeth, making sure it was loud enough for her to hear. "You're also part of the team."

Angela grinned, unhooking her arm from my shoulders. "That may be true, but I am not the one that the crowd is watching." She mimed shooting a basket into the open air.

I laced my fingers together and pushed my hands up in a satisfying stretch. "That's true. I AM the star of the show."

Angela rolled her eyes. "Careful, your dad would have a cow hearing your humility."

I grinned, a vivid image of Charlie's stern face with his arms crossed over his chest. "You're just lucky that he likes you better."

Angela sighed. "He could shoot me and I would apologize a thousand times over if it meant that he would keep inviting me over for lasagna night."

"You're stupid."

"I'm in love." Angela sighed, turning around to walk side by side with me. "With that lasagna, that is."

"You know **I'm** the one that makes the lasagna, right?"

Angela tilted her head back and let out a laugh as the bell trilled, signaling the start of the next period.

* * *

I had seen him in the street a month ago.

He was standing by the ambulance, the red flashing lights not affecting him. But this time he looked different. He was taller, older. His nose was more pronounced as his face was shadowed by the white hood that loosely draped over his head.

To the untrained eye, they looked nothing alike. But I saw the bewilderment in his eyes, confirming what I already knew. A cold chill slid down my spine, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. Our eyes met from across the street.

His jaw tightened, his head snapping down, breaking our connection. His focus was now on the inside of the ambulance. Lifting his pale hand from under his robes, he curled his fingers outward. A soft glow spread outward from his hand, sending the paramedics into a frenzy as he disappeared into a wisp of smoke.

"Bells."

I snapped my attention back to the dinner table. Charlie stared at me from across the table, his mustache twitching as he struggled not to smirk. "You've been in your own head a lot lately. Anything you want to tell me?"

I stabbed a broccoli tree a little harder than I meant to. "No, not at all."

There was silence from across the table. I groaned internally. Charlie and I were really similar, so it wasn't unlike him to use silence to his advantage. But I was used to Renee's constant worry and babbling filling the air. Tonight she was out with her girlfriends, but I did have to admit that I must be spacing a lot for Charlie to bring it up.

I sighed, putting my fork down."I just have a lot to do. Midterms are coming up, the game tomorrow determines play-offs and my guidance counselor says that I should look at college apps now. Is it too early? I don't even know what to do."

Charlie took a swig of his beer, keeping his eyes on me as he swallowed. "Bells that's a load of horseshit."

I internally cursed. I picked up my fork again and chewed on the tiny tree, giving myself previous seconds to think how to phrase my next words.

"I'm not sleeping well," I muttered.

Charlie leaned back, hearing me loud and clear. "You having those dreams again?" He asked gruffly.

I nodded. Both Renee and Charlie had watched my suffer sleepless night due to nightmares since I was 5. What was confusing was that the dreams were not regular dreams. I had seen every specialist in the book, taken every vitamin and natural sleeping aid known to man. But nothing explained it.

It wasn't technically a lie. My dreams had recently become more active, more intense. But I didn't want to worry Charlie.

Charlie sighed, getting up from his chair and taking his plate to the kitchen. "I'll grab some extra Melatonin when I come home from the station tomorrow. Maybe an extra dose will help you."

I kept my eyes trained on the plate of cold food. It felt like a heavy stone was sitting in my stomach.

Charlie nodded, making his way to the living room so he could start settling into tonight's game. I slipped upstairs, unable to eat anything past the lump in my throat.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! Let me know. ~NNN**


	3. The Ice Cream Incident

Flashes of gold and navy swirled through the hallway, the breeze ruffled my clothes as I stared down at a heavy chestnut-colored door. It mocked me. It was telling me that I wouldn't have the strength, or the will to open it. To see what was behind it.

But not this time.

My muscles felt like stones and my head swam as I moved forward. The hallway swayed and vibrated but that could have been my head lopping from side to side. I felt like a rag doll, trying to make my way across the room when my joints were made up of jello.

Grimacing, I reached out and my hand wrapped around the cool metal of the doorknob. I pushed with all of my might and watched as light poured in, warming my face. I squinted against the light, letting my eyes burn to finally see what was beyond the door.

A beautiful room with 3 glass walls stood before me. An orange-purple sunset colored the room. The last wall in the corner was lined with books. I walked in, feeling vertigo pass.

Craning my neck, I allowed myself to peer at the titles.

There were mostly classic authors: Tolstoy, Dickens, Twain, and Hemmingway. There were even some that were my personal favorites: Mansfield Park, Romeo and Juliet, and even Sense and Sensibility. Records and CD's were stacked across the floor. Stepping into the room more, I saw that each pile had its organization tactic, but I couldn't follow each pile's specific rhyme or reason.

I didn't understand what was going on. Why was this room here?

A combination of surprised shuffle and a thud resonated behind me. I jumped a mile in the air and turned to come face to face with the angelic face I had seen all my life.

His jaw tightened, his eyes raking over me up and down. A shudder went down my spine as I met his emerald eyes. They no longer held surprise and bewilderment, but anger.

"How the hell did you get in here?" He snarled.

My mouth went dry. His voice echoed like a tenor trombone. Sweet and low. I knew it was going to be a sound I would never forget. Focus, Bella, focus!

"Where...where am I?"

Smooth, Bella. So, so smooth.

The lines in his face softened. "You...don't know?"

I shook my head vehemently. I bit my lip, opting to stare at his left ear instead of meeting his piercing eyes. "Who are you?"

He manages to hear me over my embarrassing meekness. He tilts his head to the side, leaning against the door. "You don't have any theories?" He asked bemused.

"Err...a couple."

"Tell me one."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks. "I'd rather not."

He gave me a lazy, lopsided grin. "Just one theory- I won't laugh."

I didn't answer, my gaze lowering to the floor. He made me uncomfortable in ways I didn't know about. I was hot and cold, all at the same time. I itched to get closer to him, but my body knew better than to get too close. I also didn't want to get the answer to his question wrong.

He leaned forward, the door groaning at the shift in weight. "Please?"

His voice was low. He glanced up at me through his long black lashes, his emerald eyes looking right through me.

I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Um, well, y-you're Death. Right?"

He continued to stare at me, his expression suddenly losing all amusement. He pushed himself off the wall, walking towards me. He stopped short a couple of inches in front of my face. My skin was electric, begging for me to move in closer, to close the gap between us.

His breath smelled sweet. Almost floral, like azaleas. I felt my head begin to spin and my knees go weak.

"I go by many names, but that's definitely one of them."

I felt light-headed as his breath wafted over me, the room starting to spin too. "Then, what would you like me to call you?"

He looked at something over my shoulder, his forehead creasing. Instead of answering my question, he sighed heavily. He reached up, his index finger ghosting the skin of my cheek. His cold skin burned the surface, though he wasn't touching me.

My vision began to darken on the edges, his eyes glowing brighter. He leaned forward until his lips were next to my ear. "Until next time, my angel."

* * *

I gasped, sitting up in bed. My hair matted to my scalp, soaked in sweat. I put my hand to my chest, feeling my heart thunder against my ribcage.

Flopping back against my pillows, I smoothed my hair back. Did that actually just happen? Was it all real?

I thought back to the searing green eyes, feeling the chill go through me. I reached up and touched my cheek.

No. Definitely wasn't a dream.

* * *

I licked my strawberry cone, twisting my arm to get all of it before it dribbled down my wrist.

"What does it mean, when a boy doesn't follow up after you were sick for a week?"

"Mike doesn't care about you, Ang." I told her between licks.

"Ow." Angela clutched at her chest mockingly. "Tell me how you really feel."

I shrugged, a twinge of regret going through me. "I could lie to you."

Angela scoffed. "No, I appreciate it. Just...ow."

I leaned my head on Angela's shoulder. She didn't deserve my crabby side. I hadn't slept well since that night. Ang knew that I wasn't sleeping and that something was stressing me out. She never pushed for details, and I appreciated her more than I could say. But even still. She didn't deserve to have me snap at her.

"You don't need guys like Mike. Find someone who likes you for you."

"Oh, you're one to talk."

My eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"

Angela flipped her black ponytail. "No guy can get your attention. And it's not like they haven't tried."

"You're ridiculous."

"Am I? Remember Bathroom Guy? He went to the bathroom _seven_ times."

"He might have had a stomach problem!" I laughed, knowing that my defense didn't really stand up.

"Right." Ang rolled her eyes. "He probably waited by the bathroom door before going back. Admit it! There's no one up to your standards."

Vivid green eyes burned behind my eyelids, giving me a wonderful chill even under the warm sun.

I shrugged noncommittally, taking another lick. "It's not really high standards. I just...know."

"Ugh, you're such a romantic." Ang spat, throwing her hands up. "Newsflash Bella. All boys suck."

I bit my lip to not lash out at her. In Ang's defense, she had a bad record with boys. Tyler had treated her like she was disposable and Mike had wasted her time. But I didn't like that she held 'all boys' under the same umbrella.

"I'm sure that's not true," I muttered.

Angela heard me all the same, winding up her argument again. "Nope. All of them. All boys such and are inconsiderate jerks and-"

I sighed, rolling my eyes and looked away. Sometimes Ang just needed a good rant to get her back to zen. I didn't want to be mad at her, it was a beautiful day after all. There was not a cloud in the sky, and it was the brightest blue you could have ever imagined. The breeze was cool and crisp to complement the sun's warmth.

I opened my eyes and froze as I saw him standing in front of the picnic table.

His copper hair was flopped over his forehead, framing the familiar emerald eyes. His shoulders were draped in a black cloak. But he wasn't looking at me this time.

His eyes were focused on Angela. Extending his arm out, his hand started to glow in her face.

"No!" I yelled, standing up.

The glowing stopped, his eyes were wide with alarm. Slowly, he shook his head.

I didn't care about his warning. "Get away from her! It's not her turn."

With a blink, he disappeared.

My heart thundered in my chest and I froze, suddenly realizing what it looked like.

I looked down to see Angela looking up at me with wide eyes. "Bella," she said slowly, "are you okay?"

I looked around to see other park patrons staring too, murmuring to themselves. I must have looked insane to them. I felt numb, all the stress of the past couple of days began to pile in: the intense dreams, Angela's near death, the lack of sleep and those eyes...HIS eyes.

I plopped back onto the bench, my face falling into my hands. I shook my head as tears fell, soaking my hands.

"Okay, okay." Angela murmured, wrapping me in a hug as my shoulders shook from weeping.

* * *

**A/N: Just a little throwback to the book. Leave a review! Let me know all thy thoughts xoxo ~NNN**


	4. Negotiated Loss

I stared at the whiteboard, not seeing what Mr. Banner was scribbling about. Something about the Krebs Cycle.

I shifted so that my cheek was smushed against my fist. Angela had been super supportive of my outburst the other day. So supportive that she had skipped practice and went down to the station to tell Charlie what had happened. After that, nothing was the same.

Charlie was uncomfortable with what to do and didn't want to get Renee involved. She had fallen into one of her depressive episodes again, wrapping herself in a thick blanket and staring at a blank space on the wall. We barely managed to coax a couple of spoonfuls of soup into her. She had fought hard to not eat. For the past couple of days, I decided to wear long sleeves to cover the bruises she had inflicted in her rage.

Charlie had cornered me at breakfast one day.

"Bells." He said gruffly.

I didn't bother to answer, swirling my coffee around in my mug. Angela had given me a heads up and even though I wasn't happy about it, I understood. As a friend, what else was she supposed to do?

"Bells." He repeated, this time his tone firm.

I looked up. The circles under his eyes were a deep purple and his uniform was wrinkled. His hair was disheveled, and even his mustache was unkempt. Shame poured through me. I hated that this was happening to him and that I wasn't helping. I hated that both of the women in his life couldn't keep it together.

He held his hands out on the table. The universal sign of surrender.

"Something has to change, Bells. I-I can't keep doing this. With your mom's mood swings and your dreams, there has to be something we do differently." He rasped haggardly.

My heart broke for him. He was doing his absolute best and I wish that I was normal, that I didn't see this- HIS- shadow everywhere.

"I'm getting Renee help."

My gaze shot up to him. His lips pressed into a thin line at my bewildered expression. "She's been needing it for a while. We can't keep lying to ourselves."

"So we institutionalize her?"

"Don't...don't think of it like that." Charlie raked his fingers through his hair.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "How else am I supposed to take it? She's going to be away from us, where we can't take care of her, where we can't see her, where-"

"We can't take care of her right now." Charlie interrupted firmly.

I felt pressure start to curve at my chest, restricting my breathing. My nails began to pick the skin on my wrist, pulling and leaving scratch marks. I pulled my hands under the table to hide them from view. I stared at the grooves in the table. "I can do more." My voice was barely above a whisper.

Charlie's face contorted in pain. "Bells-"

"No, I can stop basketball, I can make sure she eats and get more time outside, and, and-"

A large hand came down on my shoulder. I looked up through the blur of tears to see Charlie's face had twin tear streaks going down his cheeks. I gasped, struggling to take a breath. I wrapped my arms around his soft waist and buried my face into his shirt, letting it absorb my sobs. Charlie flinched, hesitating before wrapping his arms around me tightly. He sobbed softly with me. We stayed at that moment, grieving what we were about to lose.

Charlie took a deep breath and took a half step back. His uniform had a circular wet spot. I sniffled, trying to control my sobs. Charlie quickly wiped his tears by swiping his thumb and index finger under each eye. "Bells, it's the right thing to do. I've already called Dr. Cooper at Genesis Hospital. He's coming by around noon."

I painfully swallowed past the lump in my throat, nodding. I looked at the clock above the counter to see that I was already late for school.

"Stay." Charlie cleared his throat. "Take the day off school. Use the rest of your day to...say goodbye."

I nodded, numbly getting to my feet and shuffling to Renee's room.

She was in the same position that I had left her in last night. The checkered blanket was wrapped around her tightly, the only motion that came from her was the soft breaths. I pressed my hand onto the other side of the bed, testing to see if she would stir.

She didn't respond. I climbed carefully into bed and curled into the curve of her back. Heat came off her in waves, I placed my forehead on the back of her neck, trying my hardest to choke back tears.

* * *

I sat in front of my laptop, staring at the blank search bar. Over the years I had pored over pages upon pages of literature about Death. I had done more research on the subject, more than any paper that I had done in school. Everybody had different ideas of what he looked like or how he appeared. There were people that said that they would see him. Eventually, I would stop reading their accounts because they stopped making sense to me. They would paint him as cruel and unfeeling as he took lives.

I knew better. I had seen him all my life and he was none of those things.

The empathy he held in the way he carried himself. I knew that he was so much more than what he was doing. Or if he was following a natural order to everything, or if he was just following orders from someone, I didn't know. What I did know is that I wanted to find out. I wanted to get to know him.

Heat flooded my cheeks remembering the way his fingers ghosted my cheek.

I shook my head, trying to keep my mind on track.

This pending search wasn't me trying to get information on him. No, I thought to myself, placing my hands on the keyboard. This next search was to find out the consequences of what I had just done.

I typed away and started my research.

I had told him to not take Angela. My heart ached at the thought of living my life without her by my side. She was sometimes a pain with how she pushed me, but I knew I would never have a more loyal friend by my side.

I didn't exactly cheat Death, but I had ordered him away.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, thinking of the warning that was in his emerald eyes. He was trying to tell me something. Tell me that he HAD to do it. I slouched back, blowing my hair out of my face. I didn't like what I was reading.

A lot of it was on the 7 Stages of Grief, which was useless in every sense. And then there were a couple of articles that talked about an equivalent exchange. If I had bargained for Angela's life, the death had to come from somewhere in order to balance out the universe. I chewed on my lip. This wasn't good. What if I had sentenced an innocent person to their untimely death in my selfish endeavor to keep Angela with me? Granted, Angela was also innocent as far as I knew, but how could I order the Death of someone I didn't know?

More importantly, how did I order him away in the first place?

My eyes traveled to a small wooden frame that was on my bedside table. It was a picture of Renee and me on my 15th birthday. We had gone to a picnic at Olympic National Park. The water had been crystal clear and the air was crisp that day. Renee had made little sandwiches with apple slices that were cut to look like bunny rabbits. Both of us were laying out on the checkered blanket, laughing at something Charlie had said. Her smile was radiant, the warmth of that day coming out through the photo.

I pressed two fingers to my lips before placing my fingers to the photo. I missed her so much.

Sighing, I closed my laptop and turned my light out. Sleep crept on the edge of my subconsciousness easily enough, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. Something bigger than I could anticipate.

* * *

**A/N: Review!**


	5. Lucid Dreaming

**A/N: For those of you who have patiently been waiting for the next chapter, thank you. This weekend was all sorts of crazy! It was my birthday, which is super special because it only comes every four years. So once again, thank you for your patience, and here is the next chapter! Let me know your thoughts :)**

* * *

The next couple of days were quiet. I guess I really couldn't complain much.

I went to school, I practiced after school and then I went home to do homework and make dinner. The house was quiet without Renee. It had been quiet with her around but it was a different kind of quiet. Like somebody had died.

Charlie was never home for dinner. I thought about this sadly as I wrapped the plate of fried fish in a paper towel and put it in the microwave. I couldn't really blame him. Everything was depressing. Even being around me was depressing. My thoughts never strayed too far away from one topic in particular.

I shook my head, slamming the plate on the counter a little harder than I intended.

He had a tendency to pop into my thoughts when I least wanted to. He was my personal ghost that hadn't popped up since I had sent him away, sparing Angela. I wondered if I could see him on purpose this time.

Stuffing my finished homework into my backpack I headed upstairs, to get ready for bed.

The angry red numbers on my alarm clock told me that it was barely past seven. Shrugging into my oversized Phoenix University shirt, I didn't care what time it was to go to sleep. All that told me was that I had more time to go searching for him.

I sank into bed tired, but more determined than ever. I wanted answers.

* * *

I woke up the next day to my alarm, disappointed. I felt well-rested, but my mission to find Him only ended me in sleeping well.

I pushed my palm on my pillow suspiciously.

In fact, I slept too well. Even when He wasn't on my mind, I woke up at least once in the middle of the night.

Shaking my head I got dressed and headed out to the library. There was no way I could go to school today.

* * *

Sitting at the library with a pile of books in front of me, I felt frustrated that no one was giving me the information I wanted. Nobody had spoken with Death directly. There were accounts of people speaking to God, Angels and even the Devil.

I slammed the book shut, pulling the hood over my head and burying my face in my sleeves. I needed to see Him. I needed to see what the hell I had gotten myself into. My phone buzzed in my pocket again.

I ignored it knowing that it was Angela asking where the hell I was. I didn't want to tell her that I took the day off to look for Death.

They really would have to institutionalize me then, I thought bitterly.

Sighing, I sat up. I had to think more positively about all of this, or I wouldn't get anywhere.

So there were no accounts of talking with Death directly. There had to be another way to reach him instead of waiting for him to come to me.

Or I could be crazy. _Oh my god stop, _I chastised myself.

My head lolled the side, trying to stretch out the stiff muscles in my neck. On the desk next to me was a book left by another library patron. '_The Interpretation of Dreams' _by Sigmund Freud. I wrinkled my nose at the author's name. Freud was my least favorite psychologist, even if he was one of the founding fathers of the science. It never sat well with me that he accused young children of having an unconscious sexual demon that guided their choices. That sounded more like the boys I went to school with.

I stared into space for a second before whipping back to the book. My arm shot out and dragged it to my desk.

I was so stupid. In order to find Him, I couldn't rely on my _regular_ dreams to get there. I had to lucid dream.

I scrambled to my feet to look for the right books now.

* * *

I sat in bed, staring at the screen of my phone. I had 20 messages from Angela, each one more angry and worried than the last.

_Where are you?_

_Coach is asking me where u are. What do I say?_

_You're scaring me_

_Bella, fucking answer your phone_

_Are you sick?_

_Please answer_

I bit my lip, feeling terrible for what I put her through today. I opened a blank message and started my response. _'I'm okay, I just woke up with a weird stomach thing today. I slept for most of the day. I'll see you tomorrow if I feel better in the morning_

I then shut off my phone and got comfortable in bed. I lit the essential oil diffuser and turned my lights to a low setting. I would get there. I had to have my answers. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I could feel my limbs release their tension and sink into the soft mattress.

I felt myself teetering on the edge of sleep and being awake. _"I will know I'm dreaming"_ I chanted to myself. I repeated the mantra ten times, feeling myself sink lower and lower into my dream world. I felt my joints lock into place as sleep started taking over.

Taking a deep breath, I sat up.

I pulled my hands in front of my face, holding my left one out flat. With my right index finger, I pushed it against my palm, watching as it went through my hand.

I put my hands down and looked around my room, grinning. I was dreaming. Now I needed to figure out how to get to the door that led me to him. My bedroom door slowly creaked open, a faint glow coming from downstairs. I pushed myself off the bed and crept down the stairs. As soon as I landed on the first step, I noticed it no longer was my house.

I was under an enormous blue archway leading into a rotunda that was pale white marble. It glittered from a crystal that hung down from the center of the room, the light dim enough to illuminate but brilliant that I couldn't stare at it too long. It was marvelous. I stepped out from under the archway to see that the rotunda led to about 20 different doors. Each had its own colored archway, matching the color of the door.

I shifted my weight to the other hip, not really knowing where to go from here. How on earth would I know which door to pick?

I racked my memory, remembering the red wooden door.

Looking around, I didn't see the red door. I guess I would have to pick one to get to.

I chose a soft yellow door that was at my two o'clock. I walked up to it, trying to control my breathing so I didn't sound like a dying buffalo. The sound of my heartbeat seemed to echo in the rotunda. The long black handle of the door glared at me, taunting me that I wouldn't open it. I grinned, remembering that feeling with the red door. Maybe I was at the right one.

Determined, I grabbed the handle and pushed it open.

The light from the other side blinded me for a moment before it settled into a small cozy sitting room. A fire was crackling at the stone hearth. The sofa was large and had the warm browns and beiges, taking up a large amount of space in the room. On the opposite side of the sofa was a large bay window, with 2 inches of snow piling on the sill outside.

Sitting on the comfortable sofa was a man with short blonde hair and a brown leather jacket. His eyes widened as he saw me in the doorway, springing to his feet, his hands held out as if helpless to my presence.

"How did you get here?" He had a slight southern accent.

"I'm uh...uhm...well, I'm looking for someone." My grip tightened on the door, opting to leave soon.

The stranger in front of me relaxed his shoulders, the tension still in his jaw. "You can't see him." He told me calmly.

That didn't sit well with me. "Well, why not?"

He beckoned me into the room with two fingers, sitting down on the sofa himself. He crossed an ankle over his knee, throwing an arm over the back of the sofa. To the average person, he would be the picture of cool and calm. But something about him didn't settle with me. I closed the door mostly, leaving it open two inches in case I needed an escape.

I sat down on the other side of the sofa, the soft material sinking under my weight. I took a second to study the man across from me. He was tall, there was no mistaking that. His blonde hair fell against his forehead, framing blue eyes that seemed to peer into my soul. I held back a shiver, not wanting to show me weakness.

He smiled tersely, "You realize that who you're looking for is Death? You stay too long next to him and you may never go home."

I swallowed thickly. "I have some questions."

He raised an eyebrow at me. Either impressed with my bravery or curious about my stupidity, I really couldn't tell.

"Ask me then."

"And who exactly are you?"

Giving me a lazy grin, "Bella, darling, I'm Jasper. King of Sleep. Brother of your beloved."


	6. Unlikely Answers

**A/N: I appreciate everyone's support for this story! We're about to dive deep into how things work around here. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**

* * *

I blushed at his words, "He's not my beloved."

"Ah." Jasper seemed to sink further into the sofa. "Then there must be another Bella that he speaks so fondly of."

"He...he talks about me?"

Jasper grinned at me, my blush deepening. "He speaks of a brown-eyed angel that has seen him at every turn. He's watched her grow and he can't understand why she can see him." Jasper then frowned. "It's the same Bella that recently got me in trouble because she somehow managed to wander into his domain."

"You? Why would you get in trouble?"

Jasper's blue eyes glittered as he appraised me. "I am in charge of all Mortal sleep. It's a fairly straight forward job. Watch over dreams, influence a select few so that humans can have more insight into their day to day lives. Now, every so often, we have a lucid dreamer astral project themselves into our realm."

Seeing my confused look he hastily spoke. "Right now you are not here physically. Rather your spirit has taken charge and is copied here. If you don't return to your body, it can decay and cause weight on your soul."

I swallowed thickly, "That sounds painful."

"Extremely. You would feel your physical body rot and die."

A shrank away from his tone. Maybe it was time that I left. But what door did I come through originally? I probably should have marked it in the first place. I came out of a purple archway, I think?

Jasper chuckled lowly, unfolding himself so that his forearms rested on his knees. "Don't be scared. I'll take you back to your body when you're ready. Edward would lose his mind if I didn't."

"Edward?"

"Yes." Jasper looked puzzled. "I thought that's who we were talking about. You're his Bella, are you not?"

"No, I am." I corrected quickly, feeling the heat come to my cheeks again. "I just never knew his name."

Jasper was skeptical. "He never gave you his name?"

I shrugged, feeling a bit helpless. "He told me that he goes by different names. I knew that he was...Death."

"Ah." Jasper nodded, understanding. "Your time ran out."

"I guess so."

There was an uncomfortable silence between us, the only sound in the room was the crackling fire in front of us. I wanted to ask him every question that was bubbling around in my head, but I didn't know where to start, or if it was appropriate to ask.

"I can sense your questions."

I nodded slowly, trying not to have my face give everything away. "I have a few."

Jasper waited patiently, his expression pleasant to look at but giving nothing away. I could see the resemblance between him and...Edward. It felt strange to give him such a normal name when he was something to integral to our world. He was the balance that every human needed in our world. He was inevitable. Looking at Jasper, I began to realize that so was he. Sleep was something every living person had to do in order to remain sane, as well as healthy. It only made sense that they were brothers.

"You didn't fully answer my earlier question. Why did you get in trouble when I appeared the other night?"

Jasper scowled blackly. "Not letting it go, are we? Alright, then. I am the Guardian of Mortal Sleep. Each Mortal, for the most part, has very regular sleep cycles. I can influence their dreams in order to have them notice something about their every day lives, or have them avoid something by inserting a fearful dream. For the most part, the Mortals are the ones that create their own fears and fantasies. Every so often, we have a couple of Mortals who lucid dream and wander into our realm. It's my job to find them, convince them it's all just a dream and guide them back to their body. But you,"

Jasper sneered, wagging a finger at me. "You managed to slip by me. You entered our world and found his door. By the time I had found you, both of you were already talking which was so incredibly dangerous."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why is it dangerous? To talk to him I mean."

Jasper gasped out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Miss Bella, you are a Mortal. He is Death. If you spend time with him while he carries the title, you will die."

"And that's why he was angry with you?"

Jasper sat back, bewildered. "You don't understand how much he cares for you."

"He almost took my best friend the other day, so I don't see how that adds up." I sniffed.

Jasper froze at my words. "What do you mean 'almost'?"

"I told him to get away from her." I shrugged, not understanding his panic. A deeper part of me warned me that I was right.

"It's not Edward's decision to take lives, Miss Bella. He is under very strict orders. You may have induced some consequences of your own."

I sat up straight. "Who orders him?"

"Ah, I'm not liberty to say that. That is part of this realm's secret."

I sighed, slouching against the cushions. I twirled the bottom piece of my hair, processing everything Jasper had just told me. "Why can I see him?"

Jasper sighed, "We don't know. We have been trying to understand this since you first saw him."

"In the hospital," I confirmed with a nod.

"What is curious is that you can spot him in any form."

"Why does he have different forms?" I asked curiously. I liked this part of our conversation. Particularly because it felt like I was finally getting to know Death, I mean Edward. And I didn't have to endanger my life for it. Although, I wasn't sure if I would have minded. My mind wandered back to our meeting and his cold touch to my cheek. I shivered, forcing myself back to the present

Jasper shrugged. "Everybody has a different perception of what Death is and what he looks like. It's often easier when they see what they expect in their final moments."

I thought back to the skeleton with the straw hat. "What is his true form?"

Jasper grinned, "That's not my secret to tell."

"Oh come on."

"Nope."

Begrudgingly I let that one slide. I turned my attention to this new realm. "So, for lack of a better word, are you a god?"

Jasper barked out a laugh. "I haven't been called that in a long time."

"What are you called?"

Blowing out a gust of air, he counted them off. "The Sandman, Hypnos, Artume, Somnus, Ratri, and- my personal favorite- the archangel Raphael."

"The healing angel?"

"Ah, so you're Catholic."

I shook my head. "My mom dabbled in a little bit of everything. I just liked all of the stories. We can talk Greek gods if you want."

Jasper grinned. "I see why Edward likes you. You have guts."

I blushed. Jasper looked outside the beautiful window for a moment, standing. "We have to get going."

"Already?" My heart was heavy that our time was cut short. I wanted to learn more. More importantly, I hadn't asked my questions about Edward.

Jasper chuckled. "Your alarm is about to go off. We should get you back to your life."

"Ughhhh I guessss."

Jasper tilted his head back and let out a hearty laugh, holding the yellow door open for me. I followed him into the rotunda, hurrying to keep up with his long legs. I followed him in front of a blue archway with a star above it. He waited patiently for me to arrive. I watched as the star emanated a soft golden glow, the staircase appearing behind the archway. Jasper gave me a smile, extending his arm out to the archway.

"This is where we part, Miss Bella."

I bit my lip, looking at my way back. "Will I see you again, Jasper."

He let out a laugh. "Not if I can help it. It would help you to know that Edward and I are some of the more friendly guardians. Plus, Edward might kill me and bring me back to existence knowing that I haven't been keeping you asleep and out of trouble."

I gaped at him. "So it WAS you that was keeping me asleep!"

He chuckled, "Goodbye Miss Bella."

In the blink of an eye, he evaporated from my sight, leaving me alone in the rotunda. I shivered, feeling as if someone was watching me. I stepped through the archway and back into my bedroom just as my alarm went off.

* * *

English had just finished when Ms. Cottier stopped me. "Ah, Bella. You're needed in the front office."

"Ooooh, Bella, you're in trouble," Angela whined.

I swatted her away with a smile. "Did they say why?" I asked Ms. Cottier.

She shook her head as she sat down to get her lunch out of her bag.

Angela pulled her hair into a bun that sat perfectly on top of her head. "So what do you think of tomorrow's game? Do you think Evanston stands a chance?"

I shrugged, adjusting my backpack on my shoulder. "Evanston doesn't have a bad record. Plus their point guard is one of the best in the state, so we can't go in too cocky."

"Confidence is key."

I shot her a grin. "I didn't say we couldn't be confident."

She gave me a quick salute as we got to the office. "I'll visit you if you get expelled."

"Hardy har har." I rolled my eyes, pulling the office door open.

As I walked in, I saw Charlie in the office, reading a leaflet that they had out there. "Dad?"

He cleared his throat, putting the leaflet down. "Hey Bells."

After an awkward beat, "What are you doing here?"

"Right. Well, do you have any important exams today?"

I shook my head. "I have a basketball game tomorrow night, but other than that nothing for the week. Why?"

"I was thinking we visit Renee today. It's been a while since you've seen her and I was thinking that we take the day and all go to the beach. Get some salty air, what do you think?"

The entire time Charlie was talking, my mouth curled up into a huge smile. I lunged forward and wrapped my arm around his waist, ignoring his grunt. "I think that's the best idea ever."

He chuckled, "That's good, I've already checked you out of school. Let's go get Renee."

I practically skipped down the sidewalk to the cruiser. I had figured out how to lucid dream, I was starting to figure out Edward and I was going to see my mom while skipping school. This had to be the best day ever.


End file.
